Results 2,981-3,000 of 10,862 for speaker:Matt Carthy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: Could slats potentially-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: This may be an unintended consequence of the consultation paper. Natura hill farmers have voiced concern that the requirement for all farmers to fence off watercourses would essentially make it impossible to get planning permission which they would need to get.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: I apologise. Could I get a 30-second response just for my own information?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: I know. However, I am sure Mr. Nolan has dealt with situations, as I have, where, for example, the National Parks and Wildlife Service has fined farmers for erecting fences and the Department is insisting they must do so. We do not want to create a new area where that happens.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: There must be a distinction between farmers operating a very extensive model at very low density, probably operating at a loss already, and a commercial enterprise that is making a profit. Will all that be considered?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: That is fair enough. My understanding from the EPA's engagement with us earlier is that essentially it was advocating a farm-by-farm analysis approach rather than a blanket one-size-fits-all. The consultation document that caused so much consternation in my view advocates a one-size-fits-all approach or, at least, does not reflect the need to deal with this. Some farmers have pristine...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: Mr. Nolan is saying that the solution is for extensive farmers to look at intensifying.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: I have a difficulty with that. This is a much broader debate. I engage with farmers who on all three counts are getting screwed at the moment. They are operating at a loss in terms of the prices they receive, they are on the lowest level of payments and they are getting no benefits for never having chopped down their hedges. They have maintained biodiversity on their grounds, they do not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: Is that a genuine cause for concern for those farmers? In other words, will this equipment still be eligible for grant aid even in the event that it becomes mandatory?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: Mr. Nolan should not get into the political questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: My question then is which will be more effective - the carrot or the stick?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: I am aware of them. Do I have time for a point of clarification?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: The draft plan states that the Dairy Sustainability Ireland working group has commenced a project to look at options for driving reductions of both national and catchment scale and that the project is at its initial stages. The IFA stated that it is not aware of the Dairy Sustainability Ireland working group referred to in this proposal and that it is its understanding that no such group...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: The draft plan says that the Dairy Sustainability Ireland working group has commenced a project.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: What about the IFA statement?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: Okay. It is referred to in the plan. That is the only reason I asked the question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: Given the witnesses all get on so well, would it not make sense for them to all operate under one Department? Is Mr. Nolan allowed to answer that question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: As an organisation, does the EPA have any contradictions or competing obligations in its role? One of the points that came up at our last meeting with hill farmers was the suggestion that even with very low density stocking rates there would still be an obligation to fence off watercourses, although the land designation would make that impossible without going through an awful rigmarole with...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: The Alliance for Insurance Reform has found that business insurance costs have increased by an average of 15% since the personal injuries guidelines were adopted in April. This is despite the fact that the guidelines resulted in significant reductions in claim costs. Motor insurance costs have dropped only fractionally but, across the board, insurance costs have not reflected the fact that...